The permanent addition of “streeteries” to downtown Asheville and a reduction in parking requirements for McCormick Field were approved at last night’s Asheville City Council meeting. Council also heard the results of a disparity study regarding city contracts and opted to delay voting on two big agenda items: the South Slope Vision Plan and zoning allowances for cottage housing developments.
Two big decisions delayed for another day
A decision about the South Slope Vision Plan was, once again, continued to another day. The plan – a 92-page document five years in the making – charts a path for the future of the South Slope neighborhood, with goals around improving multimodal transportation, supporting the local economy, creating an inclusive “sense of place” and building strategic infrastructure.
A public hearing on the plan has been listed on the city council meeting agenda several times this year, and has been “continued” each time to give city staff more time to work on the plan. This time, a public hearing for the plan was postponed “indefinitely.”
City council made the unanimous decision at the recommendation of city staff. Councilwoman Kim Roney cited issues with the plan’s approach to multimodal transportation, stormwater mitigation, small business services, and alignment with the neighboring Southside community’s planning process.
Council also agreed to continue a vote on the Unified Development Ordinance to its January 23, 2024 meeting. As proposed, the ordinance seeks to revise zoning requirements on cottage units, making more land in Asheville available for the construction of cottage units. Proponents said the move would help create more housing units.
Council, particularly councilwoman Antanette Mosley, wanted more data and studies on the concept, and how these zoning changes could impact legacy neighborhoods such as Shiloh, before moving forward.
“I’m loving this first consideration and how we really need housing supply, “ she said. “I really would like to see more research or discussion from an equity lens, because when you mentioned Shiloh to me, I kind of sat up.”
“I don't know that we've had time to hear from folks in legacy neighborhoods and while on its face more housing is what we need – but it could be more housing for whom?” Mosley continued. “And who potentially is negatively affected? And we haven't gotten any data about that.”
Dining al fresco
Outdoor dining in downtown received a stamp of approval, with council approving the permanent inclusion of "streeteries"-- also known as parklets – to spaces that currently house street parking in downtown Asheville.
Since 2020, the city has experimented with parklets and other sidewalk eatery models through its AVL Shares Space program.
For businesses interested in launching a streetery, permitting fees now cost upwards of $3,000, depending on how many parking spaces are used. The new program launches in January 2024 and applications open this November. See the full guide.
McCormick Field project gets an OK
After notching $18.5 million worth of funding from the city earlier this year, the McCormick Field renovation project received unanimous support from city council for a conditional zoning request that would allow the upgrades to move forward.
Most notably, the zoning request allows McCormick Field to supply 34 parking spaces, rather than the 1,000+ usually required by zoning laws.
Construction on the project, which is estimated to cost more than $55 million, is expected to begin September 2024 and be completed by March 2026.
The state of disparity in city contracts
Council voted unanimously to commit at least five more years to solving gender and race inequities in the business permit office through the extension of its Asheville Business Inclusion department.
Based on the latest study conducted by Miller3 Consulting of Atlanta, the city has more work to do on solving disparity issues of who receives business contracts from the government.
Now that the work has been extended, city staff will work to develop an action plan based on recommendations from the study that aim to make the process of assigning city contracts more equitable on a race and gender basis.
Money moves
- Council approved a budget amendment of $1.4 million from the Harrah’s Cherokee Center - Asheville Fund for basic upgrades to the Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, including HVAC system repair and the installation of a catwalk/fall arrest system. The fund has a remaining balance of $1.9 million. For more on the state of Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, see our previous coverage.
- As part of an updated financial plan for HUD funding, the city opted to commit $300,000 worth of soon-expiring federal funds to support a sidewalk improvement project on Patton Avenue in the downtown district. The sidewalk will get a routine upgrade that will also make it ADA-compliant.
Every second and fourth Tuesday, Asheville City Council meets at the Council Chamber on the 2nd Floor of City Hall, 70 Court Plaza beginning at 5:00 p.m. See the full recording of the October 24 meeting and the action agenda.
